Kenney
powder dispensing apparatus



Oct. 5, 1965 w. J. KENNEY 3,209,486

POWDER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. h/n l. m M I KENMEY O 5, 1965 w. J. KENNEY 3,209,486

POWDER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 14, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Mil/AM I KENNEY industrial buildings for the control of insects.

v plication will result in other areas. I conventional applicators are known to clog after a period United States Patent 3,209,486 POWDER DISPENSING APPARATUS William Joseph Kenney, Villa Park, Ill., assignor to ME-HI Enterprises, Incorporated, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Mar. 14, 1963, Ser. No. 265,202 2 Claims. (Cl. 43-148) This invention relates to an apparatus for the dispensing of powder. In particular, the apparatus of this invention is designed for the application of pesticides, insecticides and the like.

It is well-known that certain insect killers and other control materials are provided in powder form. Such materials are applied in the home or in commercial and In addition, extensive use of pesticides and insecticides takes place in garden use wherein flowers, shrubs and the like are dusted in order to prevent destruction by bugs.

It is desirable to provide a means for applying powders of the type described whereby the powders can be quickly and efliciently distributed. Conventional means have been found inadequate in this respect since they tend to delived their ingredients in an erratic fashion whereby heavy application results in some areas while insulficient ap- Furthermore, many of use and this condition materially detracts from the desirability of such applicators.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved powder dispensing apparatus which overcomes the difliculties which characterize prior art applicators.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a powder dispensing apparatus which is adapted to quickly and efficiently distribute even amounts of pesticides, insecticides and the like and which is also characterized by an extremely simple mode of operation.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a powder dispensing apparatus which is simple in construction whereby the apparatus can be economically produced and can be loaded and operated without any unusual degree of skill.

These and other objects of this invention will appear hereinafter and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of the powder dispensing apparatus of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the dispensing apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view of the dispensing apparatus taken about the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal plane view taken about the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal plane view taken about the line 66 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a horizontal plane view taken about the line 77 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal plane view taken about the line 8-8 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 9--9 of FIGURE 3; and,

FIGURE 10 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 1010 of FIGURE 2.

The apparatus of this invention generally comprises a first section which is provided for holding of the powder to be dispensed. This section communicates with an outlet for the apparatus and impelling means are provided for passing the powder out of the outlet means. A

3,209,486 Patented Oct. 5, 1965 unique stirring mechanism is included in the apparatus and this mechanism is preferably operatively associated with the impelling means. The stirring mechanism opcrates to disrupt the powder in the apparatus to thereby cooperate with the impelling means in passing the powder for application in the desired areas.

In one specific form of this invention, a battery operated motor is included in the apparatus. This motor is provided for driving rotary blades which act as the impelling means for forcing the powder out of the apparatus. In addition, the drive shaft of the motor is connected to a stirring means which extends into the powder holding section of the apparatus to therebycontinuously stir-up the powder during the operation of the impelling means. This combination effects greater efficiency in the operation of the device particularly with regard to the passage of the powder out of the apparatus at a uniform rate.

A specific embodiment of the apparatus of this invention is generally designated by the numeral 10 in FIG- URE 1. The apparatus includes a cup member 12 which is provided for holding the pesticide, insecticide or other powder material to be dispensed. The rim 14 of the cup is adapted to rest in an annular recess formed by the upstanding flange 16 of the cone shaped member 18. This cone shaped member extends into the main body portion 20 of the apparatus which is formed in a plurality of separable sections.

The lower section 22 of the body portion is provided for retaining batteries 24. These batteries engage contacts 26 formed in the lower end 28 of the section 22. The batteries are provided for driving a motor 30 which is situated in a second section 32 of the body portion. It will be understood that the battery powered motor illustrated can be of any conventional type and the motor itself does not form any part of the instant invention.

The section 32 is provided with a reduced rim portion 34 which telescopes with respect to the upper end of the lower section 22. A plate 36 extends across the lower end of the section 32 and this plate is provided with a downwardly depending threaded member 38. A screw 40 is adapted to extend through the end 28 and to be threaded into the member 38 to effect holding of these members together. As best shown in FIGURE 8; the plate 36 is adapted to hold contact means whereby the power from the batteries 24 will be available for the motor 30.

The shaft 42 of the motor extends through the opening 44 defined in the wall 46 extending across the upper portion of the section 32. The walls of the section 32 extend upwardly to define a flanged portion 48 which cooperates with the wall 46 to define an area for receiving the impeller 50. The shaft 42 is tied to this impeller whereby the blades thereof will rotate within the construction when the motor is made operative.

A stirring spring 52 is also tied to the end of the shaft 42. This spring extends upwardly into the cone shaped section 18 and it is provided with bent over portion 54. As the shaft 42 rotates, this portion 54 will sweep around the inside of the section 18 whereby the powder disposed therein will be continuously stirred.

The cone shaped section 18 is provided with an annular shoulder portion 56 which rests on the upper edge of the section 58 of the main body portion. The section 58 defines openings 60 for permitting the entry of air into the apparatus. An additional opening 62 is defined between the lower end of the cone shaped section 18 and the flange portion 64 formed in the bottom wall 66 of the section 58. Accordingly, the passage of air is permitted through the openings 60 and 62 into the area occupied by the impeller.

An outlet member 68 extends outwardly of the construction and this member communicates with the area occupied by the impeller through an opening 70. The hollow outlet member is formed from upper and lower portions integrally associated with the sections 58 and 32 respectively. An elongated applicator tube 72 can be fitted onto the end of the outlet 68 to facilitate directing of the powder to be dispensed. This tube 72 can be of any length and it can be rigid or flexible depending on the particular use contemplated.

In assembling the illustrated construction, the sections 18 and 58 are preferably secured together in an essentially permanent fashion as 'by the use of adhesives. The sections 58 and 32 are, however, removably secured together to permit access to the interior of the body portion for replacement of parts, cleaning, etc. The particular connecting means employed for these sections comprise elastic O-rings 74 and 76. The ring 74 is adapted to be received within grooves 78 formed in outwardly extending portions 80 and 82, these portions being formed integrally with the sections 58 and 32 respectively. Grooves 84 are formed in the portions 86 and 88 which make up the outlet portion 68. The O-ring 76 can then be easily applied to these grooves. The use of O-rings of the type described is particularly advantageous since the sections 58 and 32 can be easily disassembled. At the same time, the elastic character of the O-rings provides an extremely reliable means for retaining the sections closed tightly enough to avoid loss of powder. Finally, from a manufacturing standpoint, a connecting arrangement of this nature greatly simplifies the pro duction of the parts of the apparatus, which are preferably formed of molded plastic. By providing a line of separation in the area illustrated, the need for side cores in the molding procedure is eliminated.

In the use of the apparatus described, the cup 12 is first filled with the powder to be dispensed. This cup can be filled from the top and the body portion of the apparatus can be inverted and fitted down over the top. An arrangement of this nature greatly decreases the tendency toward spilling of the powder during the loading operation. In this connection, the flanged portion 16 of the section 18 of the apparatus is preferably formed with a slightly smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of the rim 14 of the cup so that the cup will be snugly received by the section 18.

The motor 30 can be operated in a conventional manner by means of a push button 90 easily accessible to the operator. Rotation of the impeller will draw air into the apparatus when rotation of the motor is etfected and the blades of the impeller will assist in driving the powder through the outlet 68. The cooperating action of the stirrer 52 operates to efiect a highly uniform rate of discharge from the device.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the above described apparatus which provide the characteristics of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof particularly as defined in the following claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a powder dispensing apparatus comprising an elongated housing, said housing being formed in a plurality of separable sections, said sections including an upper, cone-shaped hopper section and a main body section connected to said hopper section, means positioned in communication with said hopper section for holding powder, an opening defined by said hopper section for passing said powder into said main body section, an outlet defined by said main body section, a tubular member in communication with said outlet for delivering said powder, a motor, and impeller means operatively connected to said mot-or for forcing said powder through said outlet and tubular member, the improvement wherein said body section is divided into at least a first upper portion and a lower adjoining second portion and wherein said tubular member comprises a pair of opposed semicylindrical portions each formed integrally with one of said adjoining portions of said body section and mating to define said tubular member, and an elastic O-ring resiliently secured around the outer surfaces of said semicylindrical mating portions for releasably securing said UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,961,129 11/60 Bullock 43148 X FOREIGN PATENTS 651,407 4/51 Great Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

F. RAY CHAPPELL, Examiner. 

1. IN A POWDER DISPENSING APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HOUSING, SAID HOUSING BEING FORMED IN A PLURALITY OF SEPARABLE SECTIONS, SAID SECTIONS INCLUDING AN UPPER, CONE-SHAPED HOOPER SECTION AND A MAIN BODY SECTION CONNECTED TO SAID HOOPER SECTION, MEANS POSITIONED IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID HOOPER SECTION FOR HOLDING POWDER, AN OPENING DEFINED BY SAID HOOPER SECTION FOR PASSING SAID POWDER INTO SAID MAIN BODY SECTION, AN OUTLET DEFINED BY SAID MAIN BODY SECTION, A TUBULAR MEMBER IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID OUTLET FOR DELIVERING SAID POWDER, A MOTOR, AND IMPELLER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR FOR FORCING SAID POWDER THROUGH SAID OUTLET AND TUBULAR MEMBER, TH IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID BODY SECTION IS DIVIDED INTO AT LEAST A FIRST UPPER PORTION AND A LOWER ADJOINING SECTION PORTION AND WHEREIN SAID TUBULAR MEMBER COMPRISES A PAIR OF OPPOSED SEMICYLINDRICAL PORTIONS EACH FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH ONE OF SAID ADJOINING PORTIONS OF SAID BODY SECTION AND MATING TO DEFINE SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, AND AN ELESTIC O-RING RESILIENTLY SECURED AROUND THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID SEMICYLINDRICAL MATING PORTIONS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID MATING PORTIONS TOGETHER. 